Shrewsbury father accused of groping aide at son's school

Tuesday

Jul 16, 2013 at 1:40 PM

By Linda Bock, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

NORTHBORO — A 39-year-old Shrewsbury father faces indecent assault charges stemming from a last-day-of-school incident at the Goddard School in which he allegedly grabbed the buttocks of an 18-year-old teacher's aide in an empty classroom.

Sashidhar Garaga, who is the father of a 5-year-old, of 6 Quail Hollow Drive, Shrewsbury, was arraigned Friday in Westboro District Court on a charge of indecent assault on a person 14 or older.

The 18-year-old teacher's aide told police she was in a classroom alone with Mr. Garaga and his son on July 9, her last day of school. Mr. Garaga began asking questions about when she had graduated from high school and when she would be going to college, according to police reports. He also asked her for her full name so he could find her on Facebook, which the aide assumed was so he could ask her to baby-sit his son.

The young woman told police that Mr. Garaga then shook her hand goodbye and asked if they could hug. The aide told police that she initially thought it was a friendly gesture.

"During the hug, Garaga rubbed her back and grabbed her buttocks for a few seconds," according to police reports. She told police she felt confused, disgusted, violated and shocked.

As soon as Mr. Garaga and his son left the classroom, the teacher's aide reported the incident to school officials, who called police.

Police interviewed Mr. Garaga at the police station. He told them that he accidentally touched the aide's buttocks when he removed his hands after rubbing and patting her back.

"Mr. Garaga stated his son and him hugged her, and it was the first time he hugged anyone," according to police reports.

Mr. Garaga said that in his culture men do not hug women, according to police reports. "Mr. Garaga stated he was not sure if he would just open his arms wide and move them away or if how he moved them down was the right way."

Police placed Mr. Garaga under arrest and verbally issued a no-trespass order on behalf of school officials. Police also advised school officials to send a certified letter to Mr. Garaga advising him of the no-trespass order.

Mr. Garaga was released on personal recognizance. He is scheduled to be back in court on Aug. 22.